Disclosed herein is a power amplifier using a power combiner, which is capable of minimizing power loss and improving efficiency of the power amplifier with a large output power, by combining powers generated by a plurality of power amplifiers used in a wireless communication system using a transmission line transformer.
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3. A power amplifier using a power combiner, wherein:
first and second amplifier units amplify and output radio frequency signals having opposite phases and are respectively connected to one ends of a first primary part and a first secondary part of a first spiral transformer;
third and fourth amplifier units amplify and output radio frequency signals having opposite phases and are respectively connected to one ends of a second primary part and a second secondary part of a second spiral transformer;
the other ends of the first secondary part of the first spiral transformer and the second primary part of the second spiral transformer are connected to each other so as to be connected to ground;
the other end of the first primary part of the first spiral transformer is connected to one end of a third primary part of a third spiral transformer;
the other end of the second secondary part of the second spiral transformer is connected to one end of a third secondary part of the third spiral transformer;
the third primary part of the third spiral transformer is connected to ground via an output resistor; and
the third secondary part of the third spiral transformer is connected to ground.
6. A power amplifier using a power combiner, wherein first and second amplifier units amplify and output radio frequency signals having opposite phases, the first amplifier unit is connected to one ends of first and third transmission lines of first and second transmission line transformers,
the second amplifier unit is connected to one ends of second and fourth transmission lines of the first and second transmission line transformers;
the other end of the second transmission line of the first transmission line transformer and the other end of the third transmission line of the second transmission line transformer are connected to each other so as to be connected to ground,
the other end of the first transmission line of the first transmission line transformer is connected to one end of a fifth transmission line of a third transmission line transformer,
the other end of the fourth transmission line of the second transmission line transformer is connected to one side of a sixth transmission line of the third transmission line transformer,
the fifth transmission line of the third transmission line transformer is connected to ground via an output resistor, and
the sixth transmission line of the third transmission line transformer is connected to ground.
8. A power amplifier using a power combiner, wherein:
first and second amplifier units amplify and output radio frequency signals having opposite phases, the first amplifier unit is connected to one ends of a first primary part and a second primary part of a first and second spiral transformers;
the second amplifier unit is connected to one ends of a first secondary part and a second secondary part of the first and second spiral transformers;
the other end of the first secondary part of the first spiral transformer and the other end of the second primary part of the second spiral transformer are connected to each other so as to be connected to ground;
the other end of the first primary part of the first spiral transformer is connected to one end of a third primary of a third spiral transformer;
the other end of the second secondary part of the second spiral transformer is connected to one side of a third secondary part of the third spiral transformer;
the third primary part of the third spiral transformer is connected to ground via an output resistor; and
the third secondary part of the third spiral transformer is connected to ground, wherein:
the power amplifier is combined in plural, and
the third spiral transformers of the power amplifiers are commonly connected to the output resistor and ground.
1. A power amplifier using a power combiner, wherein first and second amplifier units amplify and output radio frequency signals having opposite phases and are respectively connected to one ends of a first transmission line and a second transmission line of a first transmission line transformer,
third and fourth amplifier units amplify and output radio frequency signals having opposite phases and are respectively connected to one ends of a third transmission line and a fourth transmission line of a second transmission line transformer,
the other ends of the second transmission line of the first transmission line transformer and the third transmission line of the second transmission line transformer are connected to each other so as to be connected to ground,
the other end of the first transmission line of the first transmission line transformer is connected to one end of a fifth transmission line of a third transmission line transformer,
the other end of the fourth transmission line of the second transmission line transformer is connected to one end of a sixth transmission line of the third transmission line transformer,
the fifth transmission line of the third transmission line transformer is connected to ground via an output resistor, and
the sixth transmission line of the third transmission line transformer is connected to ground.
11. A power amplifier using a power combiner, wherein:
first and second amplifier units amplify and output radio frequency signals having opposite phases and are respectively connected to one ends of a first primary part and a first secondary part of a first spiral transformer;
third and fourth amplifier units amplify and output radio frequency signals having opposite phases and are respectively connected to one ends of a second primary part and a second secondary part of a second spiral transformer;
the other ends of the first secondary part of the first spiral transformer and the second primary part of the second spiral transformer are connected to each other so as to be connected to ground;
the other end of the first primary part of the first spiral transformer is connected to one end of a third primary part of a third spiral transformer;
the other end of the second secondary part of the second spiral transformer is connected to one end of a third secondary part of the third spiral transformer;
the third primary part of the third spiral transformer is connected to ground via an output resistor; and
the third secondary part of the third spiral transformer is connected to ground, wherein
the power amplifier is combined in plural and the third spiral transformers of the power amplifiers are commonly connected to the output resistor and ground.
12. A power amplifier using a power combiner, wherein:
first and second amplifier units amplify and output radio frequency signals having opposite phases and are respectively connected to one ends of a first primary part and a first secondary part of a first spiral transformer;
third and fourth amplifier units amplify and output radio frequency signals having opposite phases and are respectively connected to one ends of a second primary part and a second secondary part of a second spiral transformer;
the other ends of the first secondary part of the first spiral transformer and the second primary part of the second spiral transformer are connected to each other so as to be connected to ground;
the other end of the first primary part of the first spiral transformer is connected to one end of a third primary part of a third spiral transformer;
the other end of the second secondary part of the second spiral transformer is connected to one end of a third secondary part of the third spiral transformer;
the third primary part of the third spiral transformer is connected to ground via an output resistor; and
the third secondary part of the third spiral transformer is connected to ground, wherein:
the power amplifier is combined in plural, and the third spiral transformers of the power amplifiers are commonly connected to the output resistor and ground.
10. A power amplifier using a power combiner, wherein:
first and second amplifier units amplify and output radio frequency signals having opposite phases and are respectively connected to one ends of a first primary part and a first secondary part of a first spiral transformer;
third and fourth amplifier units amplify and output radio frequency signals having opposite phases and are respectively connected to one ends of a second primary part and a second secondary part of a second spiral transformer;
the other ends of the first secondary part of the first spiral transformer and the second primary part of the second spiral transformer are connected to each other so as to be connected to ground;
the other end of the first primary part of the first spiral transformer is connected to one end of a third primary part of a third spiral transformer;
the other end of the second secondary part of the second spiral transformer is connected to one end of a third secondary part of the third spiral transformer;
the third primary part of the third spiral transformer is connected to ground via an output resistor; and
the third secondary part of the third spiral transformer is connected to ground, wherein:
the power amplifier is combined in plural,
a fourth spiral transformer is interposed between the output resistor and ground,
different outputs of the third spiral transformers of the power amplifiers are connected to each other, and
the other different outputs of the third spiral transformers are respectively connected to a forth primary part and forth secondary part of the fourth spiral transformer.
5. A power amplifier using a power combiner, wherein:
first and second amplifier units amplify and output radio frequency signals having opposite phases and are respectively connected to one ends of a first primary part and a first secondary part of a first spiral transformer;
third and fourth amplifier units amplify and output radio frequency signals having opposite phases and are respectively connected to one ends of a second primary part and a second secondary part of a second spiral transformer;
the other ends of the first secondary part of the first spiral transformer and the second primary part of the second spiral transformer are connected to each other so as to be connected to ground;
the other end of the first primary part of the first spiral transformer is connected to one end of a third primary part of a third spiral transformer;
the other end of the second secondary part of the second spiral transformer is connected to one end of a third secondary part of the third spiral transformer;
the third primary part of the third spiral transformer is connected to ground via an output resistor; and
the third secondary part of the third spiral transformer is connected to ground, wherein:
the power amplifier is combined in plural,
a fourth spiral transformer is interposed between the output resistor and ground,
different outputs of the third spiral transformers of the power amplifiers are connected to each other, and
the other different outputs of the third spiral transformers are respectively connected to a fourth primary part and a fourth secondary part of the fourth spiral transformer.
2. The power amplifier according to
4. The power amplifier according to
7. The power amplifier according to
9. The power amplifier according to
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a power amplifier using a power combiner, and more particularly to a power amplifier using a power combiner, which is capable of minimizing power loss and improving efficiency of the power amplifier with a large output power, by combining powers generated by a plurality of power amplifiers used in a wireless communication system using a transmission line transformer.
2. Description of the Related Art
A power combiner and a power amplifier are used for allowing a transmitter of a wireless communication system to transmit a radio frequency signal with a large output power.
As shown in
In general, in a wireless communication system, the value of the load resistor connected to the output port 103 is 50Ω, but a value Rload_optimum is not 50Ω. Accordingly, the matching circuit 102 is required.
In order to obtain an output power larger than that of the power amplifier shown in
In
As shown in
In general, the matching circuit 202 includes a combination of passive elements such as an inductor or a capacitor.
However, since such passive elements formed on a silicon substrate having an integrated CMOS have a large parasitic resistance component, large power loss is generated in the power combiner and the matching circuit 202.
If a power amplifier for generating an output power of several Watts is formed on the silicon substrate in a current technological level, the power loss generated in the power combiner and the matching circuit reaches 50% of the power generated in the power transistor.
Accordingly, in the current technological level, a power amplifier obtained by integrating all passive elements on a silicon substrate is negligibly commercialized.
In order to overcome such a problem, in most of current power amplifiers, passive elements are made of a compound semiconductor having a small parasitic resistance component or are implemented on an off-chip without being integrated. However, such a method increases manufacturing cost of a power amplifier.
Therefore, the present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a power amplifier using a power combiner, which is capable of minimizing power loss and improving efficiency of the power amplifier with a large output power, by combining powers generated by a plurality of power amplifiers used in a wireless communication system using a transmission line transformer.
In accordance with the present invention, the above and other objects can be accomplished by the provision of a power amplifier using a power combiner, wherein first and second amplifier units amplify and output radio frequency signals having opposite phases and are respectively connected to one ends of a first transmission line and a second transmission line of a first transmission line transformer, third and fourth amplifier units amplify and output radio frequency signals having opposite phases and are respectively connected to one ends of a third transmission line and a fourth transmission line of a second transmission line transformer, the other ends of the second transmission line of the first transmission line transformer and the third transmission line of the second transmission line transformer are connected to each other so as to be connected to ground, the other end of the first transmission line of the first transmission line transformer is connected to one end of a fifth transmission line of a third transmission line transformer, the other end of the fourth transmission line of the second transmission line transformer is connected to one end of a sixth transmission line of the third transmission line transformer, the fifth transmission line of the third transmission line transformer is connected to ground via an output resistor, and the sixth transmission line of the third transmission line transformer is connected to ground.
Preferably, the power amplifier may be combined in plural, and the third transmission line transformers of the power amplifiers may be commonly connected to the output resistor and ground.
Preferably, the power amplifier may be combined in plural, a fourth transmission line transformer may be interposed between the output resistor and ground, different outputs of the third transmission line transformers of the power amplifiers may be connected to each other, and the other different outputs of the third transmission line transformers may be respectively connected to a seventh transmission line and an eighth transmission line of the fourth transmission line transformer.
Preferably, the transmission line transformers of the power amplifier according to the present invention may be replaced with spiral transformers.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a power amplifier using a power combiner, wherein first and second amplifier units amplify and output radio frequency signals having opposite phases, the first amplifier unit is connected to one ends of first and third transmission lines of first and second transmission line transformers, the second amplifier unit is connected to one ends of second and fourth transmission lines of the first and second transmission line transformers; the other end of the second transmission line of the first transmission line transformer and the other end of the third transmission line of the second transmission line transformer are connected to each other so as to be connected to ground, the other end of the first transmission line of the first transmission line transformer is connected to one end of a fifth transmission line of a third transmission line transformer, the other end of the fourth transmission line of the second transmission line transformer is connected to one side of a sixth transmission line of the third transmission line transformer, the fifth transmission line of the third transmission line transformer is connected to ground via an output resistor, and the sixth transmission line of the third transmission line transformer is connected to ground.
Preferably, the power amplifier may be combined in plural, and the third transmission line transformers of the power amplifiers may be commonly connected to the output resistor and ground.
Preferably, the power amplifier may be combined in plural, a fourth transmission line transformer may be interposed between the output resistor and ground, different outputs of the third transmission line transformers of the power amplifiers may be connected to each other, and the other different outputs of the third transmission line transformers may be respectively connected to a seventh transmission line and an eighth transmission line of the fourth transmission line transformer.
Preferably the transmission line transformers of the power amplifier according to the present invention may be replaced with spiral transformers.
According to the present invention, it is possible to minimize power loss and to improve efficiency of a power amplifier with a large output power, by combining powers generated by power amplifiers using a transmission line transformer.
The above and other objects, features and other advantages of the present invention will be more clearly understood from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:
The present invention will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which exemplary embodiments of the invention are shown. The invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as being limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the concept of the invention to those skilled in the art.
A reference numeral 302 denotes the waveform of an AC signal transmitted through a line 301.
As shown in
The transmission line 301 having the characteristics shown in
Accordingly, since the power combiner according to the present invention includes the transmission line as a basic component, the power loss of the power combiner is significantly lower than that of the general matching circuit.
Here, signs “+” and “−” indicate that the phases of the AC signals are opposed to each other.
As shown in
At this time, the transmission line indicates a line for transmitting a radio frequency signal. Hereinafter, an operation principle of the transformer 300 using the transmission lines 401 and 402 will be described.
If current I1 flows in the transmission line 401, a magnetic field is generated by the current I1 in the vicinity of the transmission line 401. At this time, current I2 is generated in the transmission line 402 so as to suppress a variation in magnetic field generated by the current I1. If a voltage of a point A1 is VA1, a voltage of a point VA2 is VA2, a voltage of a point B1 is VB1, and a voltage of a point VB2 is VB2, the voltages satisfy Equation 1
VA1−VB1=VA2−VB2 Equation 1
On the basis of the basic principle of the transmission line transformer 300, the circuit diagram of
Since the points VA1 and VB1 may have voltages +V and −V by a AC voltage source 403, the currents flowing in the transmission lines 401 and 402 have characteristics that the levels of the currents are equal and the directions thereof are opposed to each other by the basic principle of the transmission line transformer 300. Since VA1=+V, VB1=−V and VB2=0, it can be seen that the voltage VB2 is 2 V by Equation 1.
At this time, in the computation of the power generated by the AC voltage source 403, the power is obtained by multiplying current by a voltage. In a case of an AC signal, the power is obtained by multiplying a product of current and voltage by 0.5. Accordingly, the power of the point A1 is 0.5×I×V and the power of the point B1 is 0.5×I×V. Thus, it can be seen that the AC voltage source 403 generates the power of 0.5×I×V+0.5×I×V=I×V. Since the current of the point A2 is I and the voltage thereof is 2 V, it can be seen that the power delivered to a resistor Rout becomes 0.5×2I×V=I×V and the whole power generated by the AC voltage source 403 is delivered to a resistor Rload. At this time, Rout=2V/I, Rload_a=V/I and Rload_b=V/I are obtained by Ohm's law.
Accordingly, since a relationship of 2Rload_a=2Rload_b=Rout is obtained, it can be seen that impedance can be changed by the transmission lines 401 and 402. Thus, the voltages of the points A1 and B1 swing between the voltages +V and −V, it can be seen that the voltage of the point A2 swings between the voltages +2V and −2V and thus the voltage, which is one of the characteristics of the general transformer, can be changed.
A transformer using a transmission line is called a transmission line transformer. In the present invention, the transmission line transformer is formed as a basic component.
As shown in
At this time, if the value of the resistor Rout is 50Ω, both the values of resistors Rload_a and Rload_b become 25Ω. Accordingly, an impedance change ratio R is 2. Since the values of the resistors Rload_a and Rload_b are always equal to each other, only the value of the resistor Rload is described. Since the value of the load resistor of the amplifier having 50Ω is changed to the value of the resistor Rload, the transmission line transformer using the transmission lines 503 and 504 functions as a matching circuit.
Accordingly, the output of the power combiner 500 has the characteristics expressed by Equation 2.
Pout: output power
N: number of amplifier units
VDD: power supply voltage of the amplifier units
Rload: load resistor of the amplifier units
R: impedance change ratio
In order to easily compare the output powers of the power combiner 500, it can be theoretically seen from Equation 2 that, as a product N×R is increased, the output power is increased. Accordingly, when N=2 and R=2, N×R becomes 4.
As shown in
That is, the power combiners 500 are commonly connected to ground 505. At this time, ground 505 is AC virtual ground by the principle of a differential amplifier. Accordingly, although a power supply voltage which has the same effect as an AC ground voltage is applied to ground 505, an AC operation of the circuit is not influenced. Accordingly, ground 505 can be used as an input unit of the power supply voltage of the power amplifier.
If the phases of signals RFin of amplifier units 603, 604, 605 and 606 of the power combiners 500 are respectively “−”, “+”, “−” and “+”, the voltages of output units 601 and 602 respectively become +2 V and −2V. The voltages and the currents of the output units 601 and 602 are input to a transmission line transformer 607 and an output port 608 outputs a voltage of +4 V.
At this time, if the levels of the currents flowing in the amplifier units 603, 604, 605 and 606 are 1I, the levels of the currents flowing in the output units 601 and 602 becomes 1I and the level of the current flowing in the transmission line transformer 607 also becomes 1I. Accordingly, Equation 3 is obtained by Ohm's law.
4V/I=Rout, 2V/I=Ra, V/I=Rload Equation 3
Accordingly, a relationship of Rout:Ra:Rload=4:2:1 is obtained.
In general, a load resistor connected between an input and an output of a radio frequency circuit is 50Ω. Accordingly, if the value of the resistor Rout is 50Ω, the values of the resistors Ra and Rload respectively become 25Ω and 12.5Ω. In addition, since N=4 and R=4, N×R becomes 16.
As shown in
Accordingly, ground portions of the two power amplifiers 600 are connected to each other to be commonly connected to ground and the output ports thereof are connected to each other to be connected to the resistor Rout.
At this time, ground 505 is AC virtual ground and can be used as an input unit of a power supply voltage of the amplifier.
If the phases of the signals RFin of amplifier units 701 and 702 of the power amplifier are respectively “−” and “+”, the output voltages of the amplifier units 701 and 702 respectively become +V and −V, the current flowing into the resistor Rout becomes 2I, and the voltage across the resistor Rout becomes 4 V. In this case, the values of the resistors Rload and Rout are computed by Equation 4.
4V/2I=Rout, V/I=Rload Equation 4
Accordingly, a relationship of Rout:Rload=2:1 is obtained.
In this case, since N=8 and R=2, N×R becomes 16 and the same output power as
As shown in
That is, the ground portion and the output port of one side of each of the two power amplifiers 600 are connected to each other and the output port and the ground portion of the other side thereof are respectively connected to the ground portion and the resistor Rout of the transmission line transformer 300.
At this time, if the phases of the signals RFin of amplifier units 801 and 802 are respectively “−” and “+”, the output voltages of the amplifier units 801 and 802 respectively become +V and −V, the voltages of the output ports 803 and 804 of the power amplifiers 600 respectively +4 V and −4 V, and the current becomes I. According to the principle described in
If the above-described method is used, N becomes 8, R becomes 8, and thus N×R becomes 64.
AC virtual ground 505 is formed and can be used as an input unit of a power supply voltage of the amplifier.
Accordingly, since the output powers are combined by the power combiner using the transmission line transformer according to the present invention, it is possible to obtain a larger output power.
The power amplifier shown in
At this time, if the phases of the input signals RFin of the amplifier units 901 and 902 are opposed to each other, the phases of the output signals of the amplifier units 901 and 902 are opposed to each other. If the output voltages of the amplifier units 901 and 902 are respectively +V and −V and the levels of the currents flowing therein are 2I, the levels of the currents flowing in the transmission lines become I, the level of current flowing into the resistor Rout becomes I, and the voltage across the resistor Rout becomes +4 V.
In this case, Equation 5 is used for obtaining the impedance change ratio R.
4V/I=Rout, V/2I=Rload. Equation 5
Accordingly, a relationship of Rout:Rload=8:1 is obtained.
In Equation 5, if the impedance change ratio R is 8Ω and the value of the resistor Rout is 50Ω, the value of the resistor Rload becomes 6.25. The number N of amplifier units becomes 2. Accordingly, N×R becomes 16.
The power amplifier shown in
At this time, in consideration of the currents flowing in and the voltages across the transmission lines and the resistor Rout, Equation 6 is used for obtaining N and R.
4V/2I=Rout, V/2I=Rload Equation 6
Accordingly, a relationship of Rout:Rload=4:1 is obtained.
In Equation 6, R is 4 and the number N of amplifier units is 4. Accordingly, N×R becomes 16.
In the power combiners shown in
The power amplifier shown in
A reference numeral 1101 indicates the power combiner according to the present invention. At this time, the transmission line configuring the power combiner is made of aluminum, the thickness thereof is about 2.5 μm, and the width thereof is 20 μm.
In a computer simulation result, the efficiency and the output power are examined in the condition that the operation frequency of the circuit is 1.8 GHz, the input power is fixed to a constant value, and the level of the power supply voltage of the circuit varies from 0.5 V to 3.3 V. As shown in
The power amplifier according to the present invention can efficiently combine the output powers generated by the amplifier units.
Since the basic operation principles of the transmission line transformer and the general spiral transformer are equal, the transmission line transformer may be replaced with the spiral transformer in the power combiner according to the present invention using the transmission line transformer.
That is, if the turn ratio of the spiral transformers 1301 and 1302 shown in
Accordingly, even when the spiral transformer is used, the values N and R can be easily obtained using the above-described method.
N: turn ratio of the spiral transformer
V1: difference in voltage between two ports of the primary part of the transformer
I1: level of current flowing in the primary part of the transformer
V2: difference in voltage between two ports of the secondary part of the transformer
I2: level of current flowing in the secondary part of the transformer
According to the present invention, it is possible to minimize power loss and to improve efficiency of a power amplifier with a large output power, by combining powers generated by a plurality of power amplifiers used in a wireless communication system using a transmission line transformer.
Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been disclosed for illustrative purposes, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications, additions and substitutions are possible, without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as disclosed in the accompanying claims.
Park, Changkun, Hong, Songcheol
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